Patti LaBelle's Sweet Potato Pie Recipe

NOV 15, 2015

If you can't find Patti LaBelle's sweet potato pie at Wal-Mart -- the one that went viral this season, thanks to a fan's YouTube video -- you can always make this recipe of hers at home. This makes a light-textured pie, not too sweet and with a nice spice flavor, with a flaky and tender crust. In LaBelle's 1999 cookbook, she called this Norma's Black-Bottom Sweet Potato Pie. "Black-bottom" is a reference to the technique of baking the crust first with a little brown sugar on it before filling with the sweet potato mixture and baking again.

You'll need a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate.

Make Ahead: The pie crust dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Any leftover pureed sweet potatoes can be frozen for up to 6 months. The pie can be baked and refrigerated a day in advance.

SERVINGS:

Tested size: 8-10 servings; makes one 9-inch pie

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE CRUST
1 1/2 cups flour, plus more for the work surface
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter-flavored vegetable shortening, chilled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/3 cup ice water
1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
FOR THE FILLING
Salt
3 large orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, scrubbed
7 tablespoons (most of 1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
1/4 cup half-and-half
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
DIRECTIONS

For the crust: Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl. Add the shortening. Use a fork or a pastry blender to cut the shortening into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with a few pea-size bits.

Stirring with the fork, gradually add enough of the water until the mixture clumps together (you might need more or less water). Gather up the dough and press it into a thick disk. If desired, wrap the dough in wax paper or plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, and as long as 3 days.

Lightly flour a work surface. Place the chilled dough on it; roll out to a round that's 13 inches across. Fold the dough in half.

Transfer to the pie plate; gently unfold the dough to fit into it. Trim the dough as needed to leave a 1-inch overhang. (Bake or reserve the scraps for another use.)

Fold the dough under itself so the edge of the fold is flush with the edge of the pan. Flute the dough around the edge of the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate while you start the filling (and up to 1 hour).

For the filling: Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add a generous pinch of salt, then the sweet potatoes. Reduce the heat to medium; cook until the sweet potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife, about 30 to 45 minutes.

Drain the sweet potatoes, letting them fall into a colander. Run under cold water until cool enough to handle. Discard the skins; transfer the cooked sweet potatoes to a mixing bowl. Use a hand-held electric mixer to blend until creamy and smooth. You'll need 3 cups for the filling; scoop out the remainder and reserve for another use.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Uncover the pie shell; brush the interior with the 1 tablespoon of melted butter. Sprinkle the 1/4 cup of brown sugar over the bottom of the pie shell. Par-bake until the crust is set and just beginning to brown, about 15 minutes. (If the pie shell puffs, do not prick it.) Let it cool.

Meanwhile, add the brown sugar, the granulated sugar, eggs, half-and-half, cinnamon and nutmeg to the pureed sweet potatoes. Beat on medium speed until well incorporated.

Pour into the par-baked pie shell, smoothing the surface. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Bake (middle rack) until a knife inserted in the center of the filling comes out clean yet the filling still jiggles a bit, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, then cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Too Much Chocolate Cake

Too Much Chocolate Cake

It is very chocolaty.

1 (18.25 ounce) package devil's food cake mix 

1 (5.9 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix

1 cup sour cream
 
1 cup vegetable oil 

4 eggs

1/2 cup warm water 

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F 175 degrees C

Get a large bowl, mix together the cake and pudding mix, sour cream, oil, beaten eggs and water. Stir in the chocolate chips and pour batter into a well greased 12 cup bundt pan.

Bake for 55 minutes, or until top is springy to the touch and a wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool cake in pan at an hour and put onto a plate. Add chocolate frosting warm{ not real hot } place in a microwave and pour over cake.

Easy Lemon Meringue Video

Red Velvet Cake 2

 

 

 

2  ounces red food coloring

2  tablespoons cocoa

1⁄2 cup butter

1 1⁄2 cups sugar

2  eggs

1  cup buttermilk

2 1⁄2 cups cake flour

1  teaspoon salt

1  teaspoon vanilla

1  teaspoon baking soda

1  teaspoon white vinegar



Directions

Cream butter and sugar, add cocoa and food coloring, mix thoroughly.
Add eggs.
Alternate adding the buttermilk with the cake flour.
Add salt and vanilla.
Put 1t soda into 1T white vinegar and fold this mixture into the batter.
Bake in two 9 inch pans @ 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Cool and split layers.

Red Velvet Original Frosting

 5 tablespoon flour

 1 cup powdered sugar

 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 1/2 lb Butter

 1 cup Milk

Blend flour into milk in the mixer. Cook until very stiff, first over a medium heat, but you can increase the heat as it gets thicker. Cool this mixture until it is room temperature. Do not attempt to mix in the rest of the ingredients unless the first mixture is truly room temperature. Cream together butter, sugar,and vanilla. Beat the two mixtures together add the flour, milk mixture a little at a time to the butter ,sugar,vanilla mixture until it is the consistency of whipped cream.



 

Cherry Jubilee

1/2 cup white sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup orange juice

1 pound dark sweet cherries, rinsed and pitted (or use frozen pitted cherries)

1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest

1/4 teaspoon cherry extract

1/4 cup brandy

3 cups vanilla ice cream

Whisk together the sugar and cornstarch in a wide saucepan. Stir in the water and orange juice; bring to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking until thickened. Stir in the cherries and orange zest, return to a boil, then reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. While the cherries are cooking, spoon the ice cream into serving bowls.
Remove the cherries from the heat, and stir in the cherry extract. Pour in the brandy, and ignite with a long lighter. Gently shake the pan until the blue flame has extinguished itself. Spoon the cherries over the bowls of ice cream.


Footnotes
Note on flambeing
The flames may get quite high when flambeing, so pay attention to anything flammable above and around where you ignite the cherries. When the initial large flame has died down, a small blue flame will continue to burn for several seconds. Shake or stir the cherries gently to expose more alcohol to the flame, being careful that they do not burn. The goal is to have the small, blue flame burn for as long as possible, thereby reducing the raw alcohol flavor, caramelizing the sugars, and entertaining your guests!

Pickled Whole Jalapeños

I do truly love these peppers. I can eat them by themselve.

1 pound whole jalapeño peppers

1 white onion or yellow onion

8 garlic cloves

3 cups white distilled vinegar

2 Tablespoons fine salt

2 bay leaves

2 teaspoons sugar

2 pint jars with lids

Peel the onion and chop coarsely.Peel the garlic cloves and leave whole
.
Bring the vinegar to a boil, add salt, bay leaves, and sugar. Add the jalapeños, onions, and garlic. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the jalapeños are tender.
Pack the jalapeños and onions into the jars. Top with enough of the vinegar to cover and seal with the lids. Let cool to room temperature. Keep for up to two months in the refrigerator.

Baked Sea Scallops

1/2 POUND SEA SCALLOPS

1/3 CUP BREADCRUMBS

2 TABLESPOON  MELTED BUTTER

1 TABLESPOON FRESH LEMON JUICE

 1 SMALL GARLIC  CLOVE FINELY MINCED

1/4 TEASPOON SALT

1/4 TEASPOON BLACK PEPPER

PLACE SCALLOPS IN A LIGHTLY GREASED 1 QUART BAKING DISH
ADD BREADCRUMBS AND REMAINGING INGREDIENTS, AMD SPRINKLE OVER SCALLOPS.
BAKE AT 425 FOR 15 MINS OR UNTIL SCALLOPS ARE OPAQUE AND TOPPING IS GOLDEN

Cheese Biscuits

I know these will become a quick and easy go-to recipe everyone will love.  Try them for yourself tonight!

2 cups buttermilk biscuit mix

2/3 cup milk

1 cup cheddar cheese

2 tsp.herbs of your choice

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

2 Tbsp. butter

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

Place biscuit mix, milk, garlic powder and cheese into mixing bowl. Combine until all has been mixed well.

the dough will be very sticky. There is no need to knead this dough or wait for it to rise. Once it has been thoroughly mixed, take a spoon and drop biscuit dough onto greased muffin pan.


Spreading egg wash all over biscuits and adding cheese on top.{1 egg and 2 tablespoon water
beaten}

 Cook for 10-13 minutes or until golden brown color. seconds before biscuits are done, melt butter, herbs and garlic powder together.

 When the biscuits are done, immediately drizzle tops with the butter mixture. This recipe will make about 6 biscuits muffins.

Crispy And Spicy Fries

I enjoy eating  potatoes fries...I like to cook them in the oven and add a batter on them. these potatoes are so crispy you will not want them know other way.

Recipe

2 large potatoes

1/2 cup self-riseing flour

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2  teaspoon black pepper

1/2  teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1 egg beaten with 1/4 cup water

vegetable or corn oil for frying


Peel, cut potatoes long ways and narrow and place potatoes in a bowl of cold water (for a least 30 minutes).
Drain, and pat dry with paper towels.

Put dry seasonings into a bowl & stirring together,adding the potatoes tossing very well

Add egg and water mixture to the season potatoes

Toss in the self-riseing flour coating very well {add more flour to cover well}.

Add coated potatoes one at a time to prevent them from clumping/cooking together to a cookie sheet with cooking oil.{just enough to fry well}.
Fry in oven at 400 until golden in color.

Drain on paper towels.

Fish And Beef Sausage Etouffee

Add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large pot

1 pound beef sausage, diced

Cook sausage in pot and take out and set a side keep sausage dripping

Cook in the sausage dripping

4 stalks celery, diced

1 large onion, diced

1 green bell pepper, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

When veggie is done push to the side of pan and add

4 tablespoons all-purpose flour stir into the veggie about 5 mins

Add a large can dice tomatoes and the cooked sausage. add 1 teaspoon each thyme leaves,parsley flakes, basil leaves and 1 large bay leaf simmer bout 10 mins

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Add chicken broth or water if too thick

Stir in 1 pound fish

cook fish until done, 2 to 3 more minutes. Season with salt and black pepper.

eat over hot cooked rice.